It never rains, it pours
by Tasha De Costa
Summary: RT continuation from my other FF. Could things get any worse? Can their love stand the test of time?
1. Chapter 1

As the sun pierced through the bedroom curtains Terry rolled over and opened his eyes. The bed beside him was empty, he checked the time and made his way out of bed. Wrapping his dressing gown around him he walked down the stairs.

"Ramani?" He looked in the lounge but she wasn't in there. "Strange."

He walked into the kitchen and saw she was sitting at the kitchen table. Her baby bump now showing, she looked like the ever blossoming expectant mother.

"Hey, you ok?" He smiled at her.

"Someone was keeping me awake!" She crossed her arms over her stomach and smiled back at Terry. He lived for that smile, somedays that smile was the only thing he felt worth living for.

"Want a cuppa?" Terry asked.

"I've just had one, whats the time?"

"Half 6."

"I'll have to get Jodie up soon. I don't know what time she crawled in last night but there was a strong smell of stale smoke when she walked past our door. I tell you now if she's…"

"She won't be, it'll be her friends. She's a good girl Ramani."

"Unlike this one! All night long she was kicking."

"Oh 'she' now is it?!" Terry laughed.

"You're probably right, a girl would be better behaved!" She giggled as she stood up.

"Do you want me to do any breakfast?"

"Jodie might want some but I don't. I'm just going to get her up then I'll get ready."

"When are you starting maternity leave?"

"When I want to." She laughed as she walked up the stairs. Ramani gently opened Jodie's door, she covered her face as the strong smell of sick greeted her.

"Jodie?" There was no answer. Ramani walked over to her, avoiding the patches of vomit all over the floor. "Jodie?!" She leant over to her daughter and shook her gently. There was no response. Panic began to set in.

"TERRY!" Ramani checked Jodie's pulse and heard her breathing faintly.

Terry burst into her room.

"Bloody hell! Whats happened here?"

"She's not responding to me!"

"Go downstairs…"

"No I can't..."

"Ramani go downstairs and ring for an ambulance, I'll sort her out."

Ramani watched as Terry checked Jodie over. A sick feeling suddenly arrived in her throat as she ran downstairs to the phone. What had happened to Jodie? Had she been like that all night? If anything happened to her Ramani would blame herself. She should have checked on her.

"Ambulance please." Her whole body began to shake as there was no noise coming from upstairs. 15 minutes later the ambulance arrived.

"She's upstairs." Terry opened the door to the paramedics. Ramani held onto her girl's hand as she wiped away the sweat from Jodie's forehead. She whispered to her "They're here now, you're ok Jodie. Mum's here."


	2. Chapter 2

In the hospital Ramani held onto Terry as they watched nervously from outside the doors. Jodie couldn't be seen through the doctors surrounding her. Tears fell from Ramani's eyes onto Terry's jacket leaving small stains. He held onto her close, almost as if to keep her upright, he feared that if he let go her knees would collapse underneath her.

"She'll be ok Ramani." These words seem to fall on deaf ears as she just starred into the room. Her daughter was in there, fighting for her life, and there was nothing she could do.

"Ms De Costa?" A doctor stood beside the pair of them. "Would you like to take a seat?"

That same sick feeling rose in Ramani's throat as she sat on a cold chair. Terry put his arm around her.

"Will she be ok?" Asked Terry.

"I'm afraid that Jodie is suffering from alcoholic poisoning."

"Oh god…" Ramani grabbed Terry's hand as her heart began to beat double the rate it normally did.

"This has occurred because she simply drank too much, on an empty stomach, that her body could handle. She may not even have realised the amount she was drinking. She's very lucky to still be alive as whilst vomiting she could have suffered from asphyxiation."

"Will she be ok though doctor?" Terry asked again. He feared for Jodie, he feared for Ramani.

"At the moment she is in what we call the 'Stupor stage'. This means she is lapsing in and out of consciousness with very little movement. As you probably may know the next 24 hours are critical and she will have constant watch. Have you any questions?"

"What could be the worst outcome from this stage?" Ramani leant forward, intently trying to focus on the doctor's words.

"The worst outcome at this stage is if Jodie slips into a coma. Slipping into a coma immenantly means death is more likely to occur."

Ramani felt the walls move around her as his words rang in her ears. Jodie can't be like this. That can't be Jodie. Terry held Ramani close to him. He smiled at the doctor as he turned away.

"Don't worry Ramani.."

"How can you say that! She's in there, practically living off a machine!"

"Hey, don't fight me. You know she's strong, she will get through this."

"Oh Terry, why is this happening?!"

"I don't know, I really don't."

The couple sat in silence, holding each other, for what seemed like eternity. Nurses and doctors kept going into Jodie's room, no emotions or stories showing on their faces.

"Maybe we should go home get some rest?" Terry suggested to Ramani.

"No I can't leave her here alone."

"You need to think of yourself and the baby."

"Terry, she is my baby."

Silence fell upon the pair. They sat with a gap between them, Terry rubbing his hands on his head and Ramani playing with her hair.

"Are you Jodie's parents?" A young, fresh faced nurse looked sympathetically at the two.

"I am, yes." Ramani replied.

"If you'd like to follow me this way, you may see her now."

Ramani stood up and followed the nurse, Terry watched her. He hated to see her in so much pain but what did she mean that she was Jodie's parent. Of course biologically she was but Terry was her father. Or at least he thought he was. He sighed deeply and starred at the ceiling.

"Excuse me, Mr Perkins?"

Terry looked at the doctor.

"Yes?"

"I think you should go in there too, your partner will need as much support as she can. Although she will not be fighting the poisoning like Jodie it is very tough for those on the other side."

"Yeah, cheers."

Terry walked into the room and saw Ramani holding tightly onto Jodie's hand. She didn't make any glance towards him, he walked towards her and looked down at Jodie. Her face was pale, her hair dull and lifeless just like all the limbs in her body. He could see that Ramani was crying so he put his hand on her back.

"I do love you Terry."

"I know, and I love you too. All of you."


	3. Chapter 3

The doctor walked into Jodie's room to find Ramani and Terry asleep beside their daughter. He checked the machines and left without waking either of them.

Terry stirred as he felt the air from the closing door. He saw that Ramani was still asleep and looked down at Jodie, her face still pale, her body still limb. He stood up to stretch and turned to get a cup of coffee.

"Terry?"

"Hey you're awake then. Do you want anything?"

"Can I just have a water?"

Terry smiled at Ramani and left the room.

He returned 15 minutes later and gave Ramani her water.

"Has anything happened over night?" Terry asked.

"I'm not sure, no ones come in. I thought they said she'd have constant watch!"

"Maybe they just want to give us some alone time. She's pulled through this far Ramani she'll be fine. I know she will be. She's a fighter."

Ramani ran her hands through Jodie's hair. A nurse entered and stood at the bottom of the bed.

"Hello, if you would like to pop home, have a wash, fresh change of clothes and a rest we will look after Jodie. She's got through the most vulnerable we've just got to keep a very close watch on her for now."

"Thank you, come on Ramani we'll go get Jodie some things from home."

"You sure she'll be ok?" Asked Ramani.

"I'll be in here the whole time, she'll be fine." Answered the nurse reassuringly.

"Come on, thanks nurse." Terry put his arms around Ramani. She leant down and kissed Jodie on the cheek.

"We'll be back soon." She told her.

The pair walked together as they both took a glance back at Jodie before walking out of the hospital.

"Just think we'll be here soon for our other child!" Said Terry excitedly.

"Oh no don't! I've just forgotten how bad the pain is now I have to go through it again!"

They laughed at each other, something they'd forgotten how to do ever since over the kitchen table.

"Can we just pop in and come back here again?" She asked.

"I'm going to run you a bath first, you need to relax as much as you can and look after yourself. Jodie is fine she's being cared for by the people that know what to do best. I'll have to phone the station as well and explain whats happened I left a rather hurried message with them that they probably don't understand!"

"But then we can come back, can't we? I lost her once Terry I can't lose her again."

"Hey, don't think like that! You're not going to lose her, I've told you that. She's going to fight this."

Terry opened the car door for Ramani and helped her into the car.

"You get any bigger I won't be able to do this!" He leaned forward and kissed her gently on the lips. He climbed into the front seat and the pair set off for home.

"I never thought she'd drink. She's still a baby in my eyes." Said Ramani.

"She's in college Ramani, when was the first time you were drunk? Mine was a lot earlier than Jodie! She was just unlucky."

"I should have helped her though, I should have told her what she should and shouldn't do. If I had she wouldn't be in this mess!"

"Ramani it was an accident, accidents happen. You know that, we're police officers! Somedays all we see is accidents. It's just harder knowing that it's Jodie and not a complete stranger. But you know Jodie, you know how strong she is. Look at how she turned up out of no where! She'd found you all by herself and she's not about to let herself lose you again."

"I don't want to lose her either, I let her go once before I'm never letting her go again."


	4. Chapter 4

Terry checked the temperature of the water as he sat by the side of the bath. He poured in some lavender smelling bubbles and stirred them in. He sighed to himself.

"Ramani, it's ready for you."

There was no reply so Terry went to find where she was. He didn't need to look very far as he knew where she'd be. He gently pushed the door open to Jodie's room.

"Hey, your bath's ready. I've put it just the right temperature."

"Thanks."

Ramani sat on the edge of Jodie's bed, holding onto her teddy and looking out of the window. Terry sat beside her and held onto her hand.

"I'll pack a bag, her favourite teddies, pyjamas, perfume. Is there anything else?"

"Her pillow she can't sleep without her pillow." Ramani leaned onto Terry. His shoulders so strong, hers so weak. She could break down at any moment but there was something keeping her together and she knew what it was. Terry. Without him her legs would leave her, buckle underneath the pressure, but there was something holding them up.

"Go and relax Ramani, I'll get everything ready for us to go back."

"Thank you, for everything."

"Go on, have that bath before its too cold!"

Ramani kissed Terry on the cheek and handed him the teddy.

"Don't forget the pillow!"

"I won't." Terry smiled as Ramani walked out of the room.

He sighed and lent onto his legs with the teddy in his hands, a tear fell from his cheek as he hugged it tightly.

He packed a bag for Jodie and grabbed the pillow, he left them on the kitchen table and went upstairs. He tapped gently on the bathroom door.

"Ramani, you ok in there?"

"Yeah I'm now out."

The door opened and Terry stepped inside.

"Nice bath?"

"Lovely thank you." Ramani rubbed her hair with the towel and smiled at him. "Have you.."

"Yes I've got the pillow, the teddy and the PJs!"

They laughed at each other. Terry looked at the bump beneath Ramani's top.

"It's still there, don't worry." She said as she noticed him looking.

"I'm just excited that's all. That's ours Ramani! Me and you made that."

"I do know, I was there." She stroked the side of his face. "Now can we get back to our other daughter!"

"You keep saying daughter, I'm convinced it's a boy."

"How much do you wanna bet?"

"You're always right though so nothing just now!"

"Come on you, lets go see Jodie."

The pair walked downstairs and Ramani grabbed the bag and pillow on the way out. They made their way to the hospital in Terry's car.

"Was Jodie early or late? When she was born I mean." Asked Terry.

"2 weeks early I think."

"So will this birth be the same?"

"Terry, no two births are the same." Ramani laughed as she clung tightly onto Jodie's pillow.

10 minutes later they arrived at the hospital and walked to Jodie's room.

"Ms De Costa?"

Ramani turned around to face a rather grey looking doctor.

"Oh god what's happened?" Panicked Ramani.

"Would you like.."

"No please just tell us." Said Terry as he held onto Ramani.

"I'm afraid to say that Jodie has slipped into a coma."

"Oh my god.." Ramani fell back onto Terry.

"She is now depending on the machine for doing 80 percent of her breathing for her and as you know, death is more likely at this stage than the previous. I'm very sorry to have to tel you this."

Ramani looked round at Jodie, her angel was laying there and there was nothing she could do. She walked over to her and kissed her head.

"Don't do this Jodie, please don't do this. I love you too much."

A tear fell onto Jodie's head from Ramani's eyes as everything collapsed around them.


End file.
